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= = = Divisions and suburbs = = =

Many of Oldham 's present divisions and suburbs have origins as pre @-@ industrial hamlets , manorial commons and ancient chapelries . Some , such as Moorside , exist as recently constructed residential suburbia , whilst places like Hollinwood exist as electoral wards and thoroughly industrialised districts . Throughout most of its recorded history , Oldham was surrounded by large swathes of moorland , which is reflected in the placenames of Moorside , Greenacres moor , Littlemoor , Northmoor among others .
A large portion of Oldham 's residences are " low value " Victorian era Accrington red @-@ brick terraced houses in a row formation , built for the most part from 1870 to 1920 , to house the town 's cotton mill workers . There is more modern housing in the semi @-@ rural east of the town , in the most sought after area in areas such as the village Moorside , although terraces are found in almost all parts of Oldham .
One of the oldest recorded named places of Oldham is Hathershaw , occurring in a deed for 1280 with the spelling Halselinechaw Clugh . Existing as a manor in the 15th century , Hathershaw Hall was the home of a Royalist family in the 17th century who lost part of their possessions due to the English Civil War . Waterhead , an upland area in the east of Oldham , traces its roots to a water cornmill over the border in Lees .
Recorded originally as Watergate and Waterhead Milne , it was for a long time a hamlet in the parish of Oldham that formed a significant part of the Oldham Above Town registration sub @-@ district . Derker was recorded as a place of residence in 1604 with the name Dirtcar . Bound by Higginshaw to the north , Derker is the location of Derker railway station and , said to have terraced residencies " unsuited to modern needs " , is currently being redeveloped as part of the Housing Market Renewal Initiative .
Coldhurst , an area along Oldham 's northern boundary with Royton , was once a chapelry and the site of considerable industry and commerce , including coal mining , cotton spinning and hat manufacture . It is said to have been the scene of an action in the English Civil War in which the Parliamentarians were defeated .

= = Demography = =

According to data from the United Kingdom Census 2001 , Oldham had a total resident population of 103 @,@ 544 , making it the 55th most populous settlement in England , and the 5th most populous settlement of the Greater Manchester Urban Area . This figure in conjunction with its area provides Oldham with a population density of 3 @,@ 998 people per square mile ( 1 @,@ 544 per km ² ) . The local population has been described as broadly " working class " ; the middle classes tending to live in outlying settlements .
Oldham , considered as a combination of the 2001 electoral wards of Alexandra , Coldhurst , Hollinwood , St. James , St. Marys , St. Pauls , Waterhead and Werneth , has an average age of 33 @.@ 5 , and compared against the average demography of the United Kingdom , has a high level of people of South Asian heritage , particularly those with roots in Pakistan and Bangladesh . Due to the town 's prevalence as an industrial centre and thus a hub for employment , Oldham attracted migrant workers throughout its history , including those from wider @-@ England , Scotland , Ireland and Poland .
During the 1950s and 1960s , in an attempt to fill the shortfall of workers and revitalise local industries , citizens of the wider Commonwealth of Nations were encouraged to migrate to Oldham and other British towns . Many came from the Caribbean and Indian subcontinent and settled throughout the Oldham borough .
Today , Oldham has large communities with heritage from Bangladesh , India , Pakistan and parts of the Caribbean . At the time of the 2001 census , over one in four of its residents identified themselves as from a South Asian or British Asian ethnic group . Cultural divisions along ethnic backgrounds are strong within the town , with poor cross @-@ community integration and cohesion along Asian and white backgrounds .
With only a small local population during medieval times , as a result of the introduction of industry , mass migration of village workers into Oldham occurred , resulting in a population change from under 2 @,@ 000 in 1714 to 12 @,@ 000 in 1801 to 137 @,@ 000 in 1901 In 1851 its population of 52 @,@ 820 made Oldham the 12th most populous town in England . The following is a table outlining the population change of the town since 1801 , which demonstrates a trend of rapid population growth in the 19th century and , after peaking at 147 @,@ 483 people in 1911 , a trend of general decline in population size during the 20th century .
In 2011 , 77 @.@ 5 % of the Oldham metropolitan borough population were White British , 18 @.@ 1 % Asian and 1 @.@ 2 % Black . While in the town of Oldham , which had a 2011 population of 96 @,@ 555 , 55 @.@ 4 % of the population were White British .

= = Economy = =

For years Oldham 's economy was heavily dependent on manufacturing industry , especially textiles and mechanical engineering . Since the deindustrialisation of Oldham in the mid @-@ 20th century , these industries have been replaced by home shopping , publishing , healthcare and food processing sectors , though factory @-@ generated employment retains a significant presence . Many of the modern sectors are low @-@ skill and low @-@ wage .
Park Cake Bakeries , sold in 2007 by Northern Foods Group to Vision Capital , have a large food processing centre in Hathershaw , which employs in excess of 1 @,@ 600 people . Over 90 % of the cakes produced go to Marks & Spencer . Long existing as an industrial district , Hollinwood is home to the Northern Counties Housing Association ,
Oldham 's town centre contains the highest concentration of retailing , cultural facilities and employment in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham . It has been extensively redeveloped during the last few decades , and its two shopping centres , Town Square and the Spindles , now provide one of the largest covered retail areas in Greater Manchester . The Spindles ( named with reference to textile spindles ) is a modern shopping centre with over 40 retailers , banks , building societies and catering outlets . It houses one of Europe 's largest stained glass roofs , created by local artist Brian Clarke in celebration of the music of one of Oldham 's famous sons , composer and conductor Sir William Walton .
Ferranti Technologies is an electronic , electromechanical and electrical engineering company based in Waterhead .
A number of culinary and medical advances have been developed in Oldham . There are claims that Oldham was the birthplace of the first chip shop . The sometimes disputed claim of trade in deep @-@ fried chipped potatoes is said to have been started around 1858 – 60 from an outlet owned by a John Lees , on what is the present site of Oldham 's Tommyfield Market . In 1900 Oldham had the highest concentration of chip shops in the country , one for every 400 people . Rag Pudding is a savoury dish said to be native to Oldham . Yates Wine Lodge was founded in Oldham by Peter and Simon Yates in 1884 .
The tubular bandage was invented and developed in Oldham in 1961 . That " vital contribution to advancing medical science " resulted from a collaboration between local firm Seton and a cotton manufacturer in the town .

= = Landmarks = =


= = = Town Hall = = =

Oldham 's Old Town Hall is a Grade II listed Georgian neo @-@ classical town hall built in 1841 , eight years before Oldham received its borough status . One of the last purpose @-@ built town halls in northwest England , it has a tetrastyle Ionic portico , copied from the temple of Ceres , on the River Ilissos , near Athens . Winston Churchill made his inaugural acceptance speech from the steps of the town hall when he was first elected as a Conservative MP in 1900 . A Blue Plaque on the exterior of the building commemorates the event . Long existing as the political centre of the town , complete with courtrooms , the structure has stood empty since the mid @-@ 1980s and has regularly been earmarked for redevelopment as part of regeneration project proposals , but none have been actioned .
In September 2008 , it was reported that " Oldham Town Hall is only months away from a major roof collapse " . A tour taken by local councillors and media concluded with an account that " chunks of masonry are falling from the ceilings on a daily basis ... the floors are littered with dead pigeons and ... revealed that the building is literally rotting away " . In October 2009 the Victorian Society , a charity responsible for the study and protection of Britain 's Victorian and Edwardian architecture , declared Oldham Town Hall as the most endangered Victorian structure in England and Wales . Plans to convert the hall into a leisure complex , incorporating a cinema and restaurants , were revealed in May 2012 with the hall itself being used for public consultation . This £ 36 @.@ 72 million project is expected to be completed by early in 2016 .
In the heart of Oldham ’ s retail district , the Old Town Hall is being developed into a modern multiplex ODEON cinema .

= = = War memorial = = =

Erected as a permanent memorial to the men of Oldham who were killed in the First World War , Oldham 's war memorial consists of a granite base surmounted by a bronze sculpture depicting five soldiers making their way along the trenches in order to go into battle . The main standing figure , having climbed out of the trenches , is shown calling on his comrades to advance , and is the same figure used at the Royal Fusiliers War Memorial in London and the 41st Division memorial at Flers in France . The base serves to house books containing the roll of honour of the 1st , 10th and 24th Battalions , Manchester Regiment . The pedestal has two bronze doors at either side .
Commissioned in 1919 by the Oldham War Memorial Committee , the memorial was designed and built by Albert Toft . It was unveiled by General Sir Ian Hamilton on 28 April 1923 , before a crowd estimated at over 10 @,@ 000 . The monument was intended to symbolise the spirit of 1914 – 1918 .
The inscriptions on the memorial read :
Over doors to the north : " DEATH IS THE GATE OF LIFE / 1914 – 1918 "
Over window to the south : " TO GOD BE THE PRAISE "

= = = Civic Centre = = =

The Civic Centre tower is the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham 's centre of local governance . The 15 @-@ storey white @-@ brick building has housed the vast majority of the local government 's offices since its completion in 1977 . Standing at the summit of the town , the tower stands over 200 feet ( 61 m ) high . It was designed by Cecil Howitt & Partners , and the topping out ceremony was held on 18 June 1976 . The Civic Centre can be seen as far away as Salford , Trafford , Wythenshawe and Winter Hill in Lancashire , and offers panoramic views across the city of Manchester and the Cheshire Plain .

= = = Parish Church = = =

The Oldham Parish Church of St. Mary with St. Peter , in its present form , dates from 1830 and was designed in the Gothic Revival Style by Richard Lane , a Manchester @-@ based architect . It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II * listed building . It was linked with the church of St Mary the Virgin , Prestwich and together the sites were principal churches of the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Prestwich @-@ cum @-@ Oldham .
A church building had existed on the site since 1280 . During this time , a small chapel stood on the site to serve the local townships of Oldham , Chadderton , Royton and Crompton . This was later replaced by an Early English Gothic church in the 15th century . With the coming of the Industrial Revolution , the population of Oldham increased at a rapid rate ( from under 2 @,@ 000 in 1714 , to over 32 @,@ 000 by 1831 ) . The rapid growth of the local population warranted that the building be rebuilt into the current structure . Though the budget was originally agreed at £ 5 @,@ 000 , the final cost of building was £ 30 @,@ 000 , one third of which was spent on the crypt structure . Alternative designs by Sir Charles Barry , the designer of the Palace of Westminster , although now regarded by some as superior , were rejected . The Church , of the Anglican denomination , is in active use for worship , and forms part of the Diocese of Manchester . There are Roman Catholic churches in Oldham . These include Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St Patrick Church . It was built in 1870 , was founded by priests from St Mary 's Church in Oldham , and is a Grade II listed building .

= = Transport = =

The geography of Oldham constrained the development of major transport infrastructure , with the former County Borough Council suggesting that " if it had not grown substantially before the railway age it would surely have been overlooked " . Oldham has never been on a main @-@ line railway route , and canals too have only been able to serve it from a distance , meaning that " Oldham has never had a train service worthy of a town of its size " .
A principal destination along the former Oldham Loop Line , Oldham once had six railway stations but this was reduced to three once Clegg Street , Oldham Central and Glodwick Road closed in the mid @-@ 20th century . Oldham Werneth , Oldham Mumps and Derker closed on 3 October 2009 . Trains from Manchester Victoria station to Oldham had to climb steeply through much of its 6 @-@ mile ( 9 @.@ 7 km ) route , from around 100 feet ( 30 @.@ 5 m ) at Manchester city centre to around 600 feet ( 182 @.@ 9 m ) at Oldham Mumps . The Werneth Incline , with its gradient of 1 in 27 , made the Middleton Junction to Oldham Werneth route the steepest regular passenger line in the country . The Werneth Incline route closed in 1963 . It had been replaced as the main route to Manchester by the section of line built between Oldham Werneth Station and Thorpes Bridge Junction , at Newton Heath in May 1880 . Oldham Mumps , the second oldest station on the line after Werneth , took its name from its location in the Mumps area of Oldham , which itself probably derived from the archaic word " mumper " which was slang for a beggar . The former Oldham Loop Line was converted for use with an expanded Metrolink light rail network , and renamed as the Oldham and Rochdale Line . The line between Victoria and a temporary Oldham Mumps tram stop opened on 13 June 2012 , and more central stops opened on 27 January 2014 .
Oldham had electric tramways to Manchester in the early 20th century ; the first tram was driven from Manchester into Oldham in 1900 by the Lord Mayor of Manchester . The system came to an end on 3 August 1946 , however . There was also a short @-@ lived Oldham trolleybus system , in 1925 – 26 . The £ 3 @.@ 3 million Oldham Bus Station has frequent bus services to Manchester , Rochdale , Ashton @-@ under @-@ Lyne and Middleton with other services to the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham , Tameside , and across the Pennines to Huddersfield in West Yorkshire . The roof canopy is supported internally on two rows of steel trees . The extensive use of glass and stainless steel maximises visibility , and there is a carefully co @-@ ordinated family of information fittings , posters and seating , using robust natural materials for floors and plinths . The bus station is used by National Express coaches . First Greater Manchester has its headquarters in Oldham .
Despite the Turnpike Act 1734 , Oldham had no turnpike road to Manchester for another 56 years and Church Lane , Oldham remained part of the main street through the town . But following a further Act of Parliament a turnpike was constructed . The first regular coach service to Manchester came into operation in October 1790 , with a journey time of over 2 hours and a fare 2s.8d ( about 13p ) , with half fare for travellers on top of the coach .
Oldham is about 4 miles ( 6 @.@ 4 km ) south of the major M62 motorway , but is linked to it by the M60 at Hollinwood , and A627 ( M ) via Chadderton . There are major A roads to Ashton @-@ under @-@ Lyne , Huddersfield , Manchester , and Rochdale .
The Hollinwood Branch of the Ashton Canal was a canal that ran from Fairfield in Droylsden , through Littlemoss and Daisy Nook Country Park to the Hollinwood area of Oldham , with a branch from Daisy Nook to the Fairbottom Branch Canal . The canal was mainly used for the haulage of coal until it fell into disuse for commercial traffic in the 1930s . It included four aqueducts and a two @-@ rise lock staircase .

= = Sports = =

Oldham Roughyeds Rugby League Club was established in 1876 as Oldham Football Club , and Oldham Athletic Football Club in 1895 as Pine Villa Football Club . Oldham Athletic have achieved both league and cup successes , particularly under Joe Royle in the 1990s . They were Football League runners @-@ up in the last season before the outbreak of the First World War , but were relegated from the Football League First Division in 1923 . They reached the Football League Cup final in 1990 and won the Football League Second Division title in 1991 , ending 68 years outside the top flight .
They secured their top division status a year later to become founder members of the new Premier League , but were relegated after two seasons despite reaching that year 's FA Cup semi @-@ finals . They are currently playing in Football League One , the third tier of the English league . Darren Kelly was appointed as Manager in May 2015
Oldham Boro Football Club was established in 1964 as Oldham Dew FC , and after many years playing under the name of Oldham Town changed its name to Oldham Boro in 2009 , finally becoming known as Oldham Borough just months before it folded . The team played in the North West Counties Football League before going out of existence in 2015 , just over 50 years after it was founded .
Renamed in 1997 to Oldham Roughyeds , Oldham Rugby League Club has received several club honours during its history , winning the Rugby Football League Championship five times and Challenge Cup three times . They played at Watersheddings for years before joining Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park until 2010 when they moved to Oldham Borough 's previous ground , Whitebank Stadium . Oldham has league cricket teams with a number of semi @-@ professional league clubs including Oldham CC , and Werneth CC in the Central Lancashire League .
Oldham also has a Fencing Club , Marshall Fencing Club is a Competitive Fencing Club with most of its members competing on the national stage . They train three times a week at the old South Chadderton High School .

= = Education = =

Oldham produced someone who is considered to be one of the greatest benefactors of education for the nation , Hugh Oldham , who in 1504 was appointed as Bishop of Exeter , and later went on to found what is now Manchester Grammar School .
Almost every part of Oldham is served by a school of some kind , some with religious affiliations . According to the Office for Standards in Education , schools within the town perform at mixed levels . Hulme Grammar School and the Blue Coat School are consistently Oldham 's top performing secondary schools and each have sixth form colleges of further education .
University Campus Oldham is a centre for higher education and a sister campus of the University of Huddersfield . It was opened in May 2005 by actor Patrick Stewart , the centre 's Chancellor . The University Campus Oldham presented actress Shobna Gulati and artist , Brian Clarke ( both born in Oldham ) with an Honorary Doctorate of Letters at the Graduation Ceremony of November 2006 , for their achievements and contributions to Oldham and its community .

= = Public services = =

Home Office policing in Oldham is provided by the Greater Manchester Police . The force 's " ( Q ) Division " have their headquarters for policing the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham at central Oldham . Public transport is co @-@ ordinated by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive . Statutory emergency fire and rescue service is provided by the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service , which has two stations in Oldham ; at Hollins on Hollins Road , and at Clarksfield on Lees Road .
The Royal Oldham Hospital , at Oldham 's northern boundary with Royton , is a large NHS hospital administrated by Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust . It was opened under its existing name on 1 December 1989 . Formerly known as Oldham District and General , and occupying the site of the town 's former workhouse ( named Oldham Union Workhouse in 1851 ) , the hospital is notable for being the birthplace of Louise Joy Brown – the world 's first successful In vitro fertilised " test tube baby " , on 25 July 1978 . The North West Ambulance Service provides emergency patient transport . See also Healthcare in Greater Manchester .
Waste management is co @-@ ordinated by the local authority via the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority . Locally produced inert waste for disposal is sent to landfill at the Beal Valley . Oldham 's Distribution Network Operator for electricity is United Utilities ; there are no power stations in the town . United Utilities also manages Oldham 's drinking and waste water ; water supplies being sourced from several local reservoirs , including Dovestones and Chew . There is a water treatment works at Waterhead .

= = Culture = =

Oldham , though lacking in leisure and cultural amenities , is historically notable for its theatrical culture . Once having a peak of six " fine " theatres in 1908 , Oldham is home to the Oldham Coliseum Theatre and the Oldham Theatre Workshop , which have facilitated the early careers of notable actors and writers , including Eric Sykes , Bernard Cribbins and Anne Kirkbride , daughter of acclaimed cartoonist Jack Kirkbride who worked for the Oldham Evening Chronicle . Oldham Coliseum Theatre is one of Britain 's last remaining repertory theatres ; Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel performed there in the early 20th century , and contemporary actors such as Ralph Fiennes and Minnie Driver , among others , have appeared more recently .
During the 19th century the circus was a popular entertainment in Oldham ; Pablo Fanque 's circus was a regular visitor , filling a 3 @,@ 000 @-@ seat amphitheatre on Tommyfield in 1869 . Criticised for its lack of a cinema , there are plans to develop an " Oldham West End " . Oldham has a thriving bar and night club culture , attracting a significant number of young people into the town centre . Oldham 's " hard binge drinking culture " has been criticised however for conveying a negative regional image of the town .

= = = Communal facilities = = =

The Lyceum is a Grade II listed building opened in 1856 at a cost of £ 6 @,@ 500 as a " mutual improvement " centre for the working men of Oldham . The facilities provided to members included a library , a newsroom and a series of lectures on geology , geography and education , microscopy and chemistry , female education and botany . Instrumental music was introduced and there were soon sixteen violinists and three cellists . Eventually the building was extended to include a school of science and art . Music had always been important in the life of the Lyceum , and in 1892 a school of music was opened , with 39 students enrolled for the " theory and practice of music " .
The Lyceum continued throughout the 20th century as a centre for the arts in Oldham , and in 1986 the local authority was invited by its directors and trustees to accept the building as a gift . The acceptance of the Lyceum building by the Education Committee provided the opportunity to move the music centre and " further enhance the cultural activities of the town " . In 1989 the Oldham Metropolitan Borough Music Centre moved into the Lyceum building , which is now the home of the Oldham Lyceum School of Music .
Oldham ’ s museum and gallery service dates back to 1883 . Since then it has established itself as a cultural focus for Oldham and has developed one of the largest and most varied permanent collections in North West England . The current collection includes over 12 @,@ 000 social and industrial history items , more than 2 @,@ 000 works of art , about 1 @,@ 000 items of decorative art , more than 80 @,@ 000 natural history specimens , over 1 @,@ 000 geological specimens , about 3 @,@ 000 archaeological artefacts , 15 @,@ 000 photographs and a large number of books , pamphlets and documents .
Oldham is now home to a newly built state @-@ of @-@ the @-@ art art gallery , Gallery Oldham , which was completed in February 2002 as the first phase of the Oldham Cultural Quarter . Later phases of the development saw the opening of an extended Oldham Library , a lifelong learning centre and there are plans to include a performing arts centre .

= = = Carnival = = =

The annual Oldham Carnival started around 1900 , although the tradition of carnivals in the town goes back much further , providing a " welcomed respite from the tedium of everyday life " . The carnival parade was always held in mid @-@ to @-@ late summer , with the primary aim of raising money for charities . It often featured local dignitaries or popular entertainers , in addition to brass , military and jazz bands , the Carnival Queen , people in fancy dress , dancers and decorated floats from local churches and businesses . Whenever possible , local people who had attained national celebrity status were invited to join the cavalcade . The carnival 's route began in the town centre , wound its way along King Street , and ended with a party in Alexandra Park .
The carnival fell out of favour in the late 1990s but was resurrected by community volunteers in 2006 and rebranded the Peoples ' Carnival . The parade was moved into Alexandra Park in 2011 . The event hosts live stages and other activities alongside a parade in the park . In 2016 will be 10 years since the carnival was reinstated by volunteers . The main organiser is Paul Davies who runs the carnival with a number of committee members and loads of volunteers

= = Britain in Bloom = =

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